Recent Posts

31.5.15

Wow 30 weeks, just 10 more weeks to go which is absolutely crazy! It really feels like the countdown is on now; we should probably start getting more prepared haha. Baby boy is the size of a cucumber at almost 3lbs, and will be putting on 1/2 pound a week from now on apparently!

This week started lovely, the weather improved slightly so we got to enjoy the sun again (although it's swiftly left again haha). My bump is getting so big now my belly button can be seen through my clothes! My nephew had great fun pulling it and poking it, which I must admit makes me feel a bit sick haha. Indiana has also been loving her baby brother this week. She even ran up to me one day with the Doppler, popped it on my belly saying baby. It was unbelievably sweet and it makes me even more excited for them to meet.

Then on Friday my sciatica pain decided to come back with a vengeance! It's always down my right side, and leaves me limping if I'm out walking haha. I'm quite glad Indiana is still in her pram as leaning on it does give some relief when we're out.

The only other symptom I've been having for a while is pressure/pain in my bump. It's odd - it really feels like he's trying to escape out of my stomach, and I can always feel body parts if I touch my bump! I don't remember ever feeling Indiana this much so I'm not sure if it's because of my anterior placenta, whether he's bigger or if he's just in a different position! Any ideas?

We'll be in single figures next week! I will start thinking about my hospital bags, birth plan, etc in the next few weeks so look out for those posts.

28.5.15

How are we into another month of this lovely linky already?! This month Indiana turned 18 months old (her update will be up soon), and I'm almost 30 weeks pregnant with her baby brother. I'm so excited to do my first mummy and me with the both of them, but here's one with bump for now!

I was just sitting on the floor after playing with Indiana when she runs into me, lifts up my top saying 'baby' and pops the doppler on my bump. It was the sweetest moment and it just makes me even more excited for her to meet him!

26.5.15

I was recently contacted by the lovely people at M&Co who asked me if I wanted to take part in their style challenge. All I had to do was chose a piece from their lovely Heavenly Bump maternity range and put together an outfit. So of course I said yes!

I chose this gorgeous tunic top which is in one of my favourite patterns; you can never go wrong with a bit of floral! I was thinking of choosing a dress for the summer but as I'm so short I didn't want to risk it being too long.

I decided to keep it simple and let the top be the key piece of my outfit. I paired it with a pair of black maternity leggings which I purchased from Beebies Baby Store last month. I adore the floral pattern and have been complimented on it a lot recently, many people have said how lovely it looks on a bump.

The quality of the top is fab and I think the little extra details such as the frill hem, and tie back waist really make it stand out from my other maternity tops. The fabric is soft and stretchy making it really comfortable to wear - although I did notice how large the scoop neck is, which meant there were a few occasions where there was a slight show of my bra (carrying Indiana was usually the cause of this haha).

I know this is definitely going to be a key piece in my summer maternity wardrobe, as it's designed to fit with your growing bump. What's your favourite piece from the collection?

Disclaimer - I was sent this item free of charge as part of the M&Co Style Challenge

24.5.15

It's so strange that sometimes I still forget I'm pregnant, even though I'm 29 weeks today - pretty close to the 'heavily pregnant' stage I'd say haha. Baby boy is apparently the size of an acorn squash and now weighs close to 2lbs and measures around 39cm long. I have a feeling he's a bit bigger than that though if his sister's birth weight is anything to go by (8lb 4oz not overdue!).

I had my midwife appointment this week where I was 28 weeks and 3 days. Is it just me who gets excited for these appointments haha? It was lovely to see her, and even nicer that even though this is my second pregnancy, she's seeing me for the same amount as if it was my first.

Everything was perfect; his heartbeat was 144bpm, my blood pressure was 108/72 and my urine was fine. She had a feel and confirmed he's head down with him bum sticking under my ribs on the right (although I'm not sure if he's turned since then). She took my bloods which Indiana really enjoyed watching haha and I've got my whooping cough jab booked for Thursday. She measured my bump for the first time and I'm so happy it's measuring perfectly at 28cm!

Now I know he's head down I can definitely feel it. I've been getting 'lightning' type pains throughout the week which I did not miss haha. His bum has been really pushing against my skin too and it's quite painful (you can feel him if you touch my bump!).

Only 5 more days left at work now although I'm feeling done already. After a 9-7 shift on my feet all day yesterday I had really bad pains in my bump, and my feet were killing me! I'm back at work today but think it's definitely time to ask for a chair as I just cannot do it anymore.

Next week we'll be on the proper countdown and I can't believe it. We are so relaxed this time and should probably start buying things and thinking of names!

20.5.15

Why is Google always the first place you head to when you want answers? I'm terrible for it and if I'm honest I never find a bloody answer haha! Recently the search has been for why Indiana has been in such a foul mood.

She's turned into the tantrum queen; throwing herself on the floor in public places, much to the disapproval of onlookers. The girl who used to nap twice a day for almost 2 hours at a time is point blank refusing to do just that. Oh and the waking at night! Between midnight and 1am seems to be her favourite time to scream and scream and scream. As well as a few more screams until around 6.30am when it's time to get up.

But why?!

One suggestion was that she was going through an 18 month sleep regression. I didn't even know this existed! She's also not 18 months for a week haha. It would explain a lot though and gives a reason for her terrible sleeping at night.

Yesterday I noticed she's got her 4 canines coming so is it all down to teething? It must be pretty rough getting 4 teeth at once, poor girly, but she's never been like this with teeth before. I can see one has broken through so fingers crossed the others aren't far behind.

So who knows what's up with her. I think I've given up trying to work it out and am just going with the flow haha. She only woke up once last night (after battling to get her to sleep instead), so I'm hoping we're on the way out of the stage. God I wish I liked coffee!

19.5.15

I'm pretty sure everyone must have heard of the sweet little 'baby on board' badges you can get when you find out you're expecting. Now the range is expanding with the help of fab online retailer notonthehighstreet.com! The website have teamed with TFL (Transport for London) for a three year partnership and have launched an exclusive range of 'Baby on Board' products to celebrate!

The range currently has 12 different products from baby shower gifts, cards, accessories and personalised gifts! They plan to expand over the coming months too. The badges remain free of course, but the products range in price from £3.25 to £40.

The Personalised 'Baby on Board' Keepsake Box (£26) is absolutely beautiful! Large and sturdy and secured with a magnetic flap and a lovely white ribbon; it's definitely something to treasure. It's personal to you and can be used to store all those lovely memories from your pregnancy - I'm going to be keeping mine as a memory box for baby boy!

This quirky little congratulations card (£3.25) is for you mummies who have enjoyed a bumpy ride travelling with your bump. It's a funny twist on your usual congratulations card and adds a bit of fun - the quality is fab too - and with a blank inside it's perfect for adding your own message.

The personalised leather 'Baby on Board' keyring (£12.50) is also a sweet touch for mums to be. The text is completely your choice (up to 3 lines worth too); you can also choose between the shape of the keyring and the colour! The leather is great quality and as they're all hand made each one is different.

I was also sent this huge tote bag which we've actually been using for shopping - Jack's been doing the carrying though of course! It's bold and clearly shows to people to be aware of your bump! I personally wouldn't carry it around day - to - day, but it's a lovely addition to the collection.

Disclaimer - I was sent these products free of charge in exchange for this blog post. I was not paid and all opinions are honest and my own

17.5.15

So we've made it to 28 weeks and the third and final trimester... this pregnancy is going too fast! Baby boy is the size of an eggplant this week and weighs more than 1kg, at up to 38cm long! I'm seeing my midwife on Wednesday when she'll measure my bump for the first time - I'm curious to see whether this boy really is big or whether he's slowed down with his growth!

This week I've really started to notice my bump more, and how it makes simple tasks much more difficult! Shaving is now a HUGE task and something as simple as getting up off the floor is a challenge if there's nothing to hold onto haha. I keep forgetting it's there and trying to bend over to pick things up normally; you'd think I'd learn by now it's not going to happen!

I can really feel him up in my ribs constantly and it's becoming more painful. Indiana was exactly the same so at least it's something I'm sort of used to haha. It's making me out of breath a lot more often and I'm having to remember to stand/sit up straight to help with that. He's been doing really big movements too and kicking me in the ribs as well. As much as I love feeling him it is bloody uncomfortable now!

The only negative this week is these pesky headaches. I had one constantly from Tuesday to Friday. I've been trying to keep my fluid intake up and resting as much as possible, but I've kind of got used to them now. I'll be sure to mention it to my midwife though as I know they can be a worrying sign!

We're really on the final countdown now and I'm getting SO excited - also only 4 weeks left at work too, woohoo! I'll be back next week and let you know how my midwife appointment goes.

15.5.15

It's been absolutely months since I posted anything wedding related - I've actually checked and my last update was in November! Most things have been baby focused at the moment, but I thought it was about time I updated you all with how things are going.

If you've not seen any of our updates before our wedding is booked for October 2nd this year (8 weeks after Pip's due date haha). We're SO excited and with every little thing we sort out it just seems more and more real. We never even considered delaying the wedding or cancelling at all; we knew we wanted to go ahead, otherwise it would have never have happened!

I've now collected my dress and it's safely at my nan's house away from Jack's prying eyes haha. Seeing it again after so long was amazing and I fell in love with it all over again. I have to sort out the fitting 6 weeks before the big day which is the only big worry I have - they've reassured me that it won't be a problem though.

Suits are all sorted. We are hiring as it was the cheapest option and if I'm honest most suits do look exactly the same! We've been to Moss Bros as sorted them all out; fittings just need to be done a little closer to the time.

My bridesmaids all have their dresses and I couldn't be happier with them! As you know our colour scheme is mint green, and I found the most perfect dresses in the occasion dress section in Debenhams. Much cheaper than actual bridal shop bridesmaids dresses, and a lot prettier too!

We've chosen and picked up our rings - it's so weird that they're just waiting to be worn haha. I didn't want bling so we both went for something simple. I've always seen the engagement ring as the one everyone wants to see and mines perfect, so I didn't want to overshadow it!

After searching around we have spoken to a florist and chosen our wedding flowers too! Our main flowers are roses (my favourites and with both Indiana and I having Rose as our middle names it seemed the perfect choice). We're having a mixture of whites, creams, peaches and a small amount of green to break it up. Indiana is flower girl but we've opted against the traditional basket - she's going to be almost 2 so no way was she going to be sensible with it haha - instead she's going to have a flower crown.

Writing all this down I can't believe how far we've actually got! We've also sorted out centre pieces, chair covers, our hens and stags are in the capable hands of my sister and Jack's best man (look out for posts on those in July), and we're talking to someone about the cake as we speak! I've also started sorting the actual invites as these probably need to go out asap!

So I think that's about it for now; I really can't believe it's only 5 months to go until we get married. This year is going so fast and it's definitely a special one!

12.5.15

With my pregnancy with Indiana my bump seemed to grow so slowly, and if I'm honest it was never that huge. I got away with sleeping with just an extra pillow between my legs as I didn't think I needed a special pregnancy one. However this time I've been huge since the day the test said positive haha! I went with just a normal V-shaped pillow at first and although it was comfy, it just wasn't practical - I'm a HUGE fidget at night so it would just fall out of the bed.

When PregnancyPillows contacted me and asked if I wanted to review one of their pregnancy pillows I couldn't have said yes fast enough! Based in Manchester, PregnancyPillows are specialists in pregnancy, maternity and nursing pillows - helping us mummies get that well needed sleep before our babies are born, and then even supporting with feeding after! They have over 15 years experience and offer long lasting products in a range of designs and fabrics.

I opted for the L-Shaped design as I thought this would be better suited for me. The pillow is basically one long sausage and is perfect for if you don't have huge amounts of space (or if there's not much room in the bed like us haha). There are also 4 other designs: U-shaped, Nursing, Angel Wing and V-shaped. All the styles are fully customisable; you can choose between different fillings, colours and whether you want a lavender scented filling or not too. I opted for the 'Original' with a cream babysoft outing.

As soon as the pillow arrived (which was super quick!) I wanted to jump in bed and snuggle up. The casing is SO soft and cosy, and much nicer against the skin than a normal pillowcase. I know this will be lovely for Pip to snuggle up on too when he's born. I didn't realise mine would be lavender scented - I'm not a fan at all - but it really wasn't that powerful and if I'm honest I'm sure the smell only lasted a few days!

The pillow is perfect for supporting my back when sitting up either in bed or on the sofa, as it gives support to my lower back. I love to sleep with it between my legs, supporting my bump as well. The filling is perfect as it's flexible, and doesn't just squish down to nothing when you put pressure on it. It is a bit tricky to move around with once in bed though as it's so long - I end up having to push all the covers off to move the pillow then putting them back on.

Indiana has been loving it too and loves to drag it onto the floor to relax on. I'm not worried about it getting too dirty though as the cover can be taken off and machine washed too - you can even purchase an extra pillowcase if you want a spare.

I'm absolutely loving my pillow and cannot believe I didn't get one sooner! This is definitely something I'll be recommending to all my pregnant friends and family.

10.5.15

I still cannot believe we're at 27 weeks already, the final week of the second trimester (not that I've felt any glow or burst of energy yet haha). Baby is the size of a cauliflower at nearly 875g and more than 36cm. He can now open and close his eyes and sleeps and wakes at regular intervals - mainly awake when I'm trying to sleep haha.

I'm writing this post from my bed again as last night was another night of being up sick - I think this pregnancy is definitely trying to kill me, as before being pregnant I hadn't been sick in years! I'm feeling better than I did so hoping it was just a one night thing!

Apart from that it's been a pretty quick and normal week. I've noticed my braxton hicks have really increased and I'm getting at least one a day now. Nothing painful but if I'm sat scrunched up it's getting harder to breath as there's just no room in there!

I have absolutely zero energy left any more either. I'm practically in bed by 9pm every night and asleep within minutes haha. I'm finding sleep pretty good for the time being as I'm just so tired I can sleep for hours! I've also been lucky enough to be sent an amazing pregnancy pillow to review (that'll be up next week), and I've found it's really making a difference.

I'm hoping for another quick week as I'm excited to see my midwife again for my 28 week appointment on the 20th! Although I'm sure it will as it doesn't seem like a week ago I wrote my last update!

6.5.15

I've been tagged by the lovely Alex at Lamb and Bear and more recently by Jenna at Chic Geek Diary to do the '50 things that make me happy' Tag. I've been meaning to write it for a few days now; 50 is a lot of things haha, but here it is:

5.5.15

Ever-since Indiana started walking I've been obsessed with looking at, and buying shoes for her. Poor Indiana has been blessed with feet just like her mummy though - VERY wide - so it's not as easy as just picking up any pair from the shops. So when I was asked whether I'd like to review some shoes created especially for toddlers I just had to say yes!

Attipas was launched in 2011 - 7 years of research and development later! The specially designed toddler shoes are created to allow the child to feel the sole of the shoes, and to let them move their toes freely. They evenly distribute foot pressure which makes them perfect for growing feet and helping toddlers to walk correctly.

They have a whole array of designs suitable for both boys and girls. The way they are made means that the 'shoe' section connects to a 'sock' so that they fit snuggly without need for straps. They go on as easily as socks too which is great for if you have a wiggly toddler like me haha.

I love how soft and flexible they are. I think these would be perfect as first shoes for when your baby/toddler has just started properly walking. They are light so they won't weigh down their feet and the rubber sole means that they grip the floor properly too. Another little bonus is that they're completely machine washable - ideal for messy toddlers!

The designs are bright, eye-catching and fun. I personally think they need to add a few basic colours, as I don't think they'd go with a lot of Indiana's clothes. A lot of other parents may like this though, so obviously this is just a personal observation. The 'sock' part also seemed slightly tight around her ankles but I think that's because of her chubby little legs haha.

Disclaimer - We were sent these shoes for the purpose of this review - however all opinions are honest and my own

3.5.15

Another week has flown by and I can finally say I've had a week of feeling pretty good... YAY! Pip is now the size of a butternut squash and is gaining lots of fat this week (and apparently I'm going to be gaining a lot in the next few weeks too haha). He is around 36cm and weighs a little more than 760g.

After spending all of his time buried on the right hand side of my bump (and in my ribs) this week he actually finally moved! He's now been wiggling all over on both the left and right sides which suggests he's laying across my bump. It's been a lovely relief for my ribs and I even managed to capture some of those movements on camera too!

I have been a bit achy in places this week when walking long distances. I've noticed it's more when I walk to/from work than with the pram - it must add some support for my hips. I even had swollen feet on Sunday which I never experienced with my first pregnancy; they were not a pretty sight haha.

Another aching area - warning TMI coming up haha - is my downstairs. It really feels like there's pressure pushing against it a lot of time which is SO uncomfortable. I just generally feel swollen sometimes as if he's been kicking me 'down there' which again, is something I never experienced with Indiana.

Ending on a high this week I have officially booked and sorted my Maternity Leave! I've only got 6 weeks left at work before my annual leave starts on the 15th June, and then my actual leave starts on the 6th July. I can't believe I'll be finishing work next month, but I really think I need the time to prepare and enjoy quality time with Indiana before he arrives.

I can't believe I'm almost in the third trimester already; time is flying!

1.5.15

I really think this has been the quickest month yet! 17 months means only 1 more month until our little Indiana is a year and a half... slow down time?! I have no idea about weight or any measurements anymore but I do know she's been going through a major growth spurt recently. When I first put her in 12-18 month clothes they swamped her but now they don't seem so long. Even Jack's dad commented on it (even though he'd only seen her a few weeks previously!).

She's really showing her cheeky character now and is only ever quiet if she's up to something. She babbles away constantly and picks up words and phrases like a little sponge. Sometimes she comes out with a new words and I have to do a double take to wonder what she's actually said! Her newest word is 'spoon' - which she proudly shouts while waving it in your face haha.

She can ask for what she wants by speaking now instead of just crying. If she's thirsty she'll demand her juice, if she wants to go out she'll ask for her shoes, for example. The second my top is lifted she shouts 'baby' and runs over to kiss my bump (or blow raspberries on it haha). Her animal noises are really coming along - with the help from a selection of pop-up books - she knows woof, meow, moo, cheep and even tries to say cock-a-doodle-do haha!

As well as being a chatterbox she's really loving independent play this month. She will happily sit and read to herself or play with her toys whilst babbling. The past week she's grown really attached to her baby and carries it around everywhere! We got her a cheap pushchair and it's become her favourite toy - she feeds her baby, pushes her around and even hangs her little handbag on it too (if it's not hooked on her arm that is - little diva haha).

Her moods have been a lot better recently with a lot less tantrums. They're still there but not quite as often thankfully. I really think her being able to communicate and understand more is helping. The sharing is still an issue and is the only thing she majorly flips out about - oh or taking her food away, that's a big no no! She's very loving though and will willingly come over to give you a cuddle or a kiss (which are almost closed mouth.. yay!).

Speaking of food this girl eats for Britain! She now demands you give her meals by dragging you to the kitchen and passing you her bowl. Her new favourite is a 'nana' which she screams at you until you pass it over haha. She even had her very first Happy Meal this month which she completely devoured - it's not going to be a common thing, but she was so happy with it haha.

I've loved dressing her more summery this month and her hairs now long enough for individual clips (it's probably too long for the bands now). She is like me though and doesn't really cope with the heat though so lots of inside play for us this summer!

My favourite thing she's done this month is her cheeky smiles (or the face where she sticks out her tongue haha). She shows off to everyone she sees with her massive grin, and I just know it's the start of her getting away with absolutely everything haha!

If you're a parent, then I can imagine that CBeebies plays a big roll in your household - with three little ones aged 5 and under, it de...

Networks

Proud to be

Disclosure

Some links on this blog may be affiliate links.

Emily and Indiana is a participant in the Amazon EU Associates Programme, an affiliate advertising programme designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.co.uk